World Wetland Day to be celebrated at Kuching National Park

0

KUCHING: The state-level World Wetland Day will be celebrated tomorrow at Sungai Lemidin, Kuching National Park (Taman Negara Kuching).

Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan will be the guest-of-honour to officiate at the ceremony.

A press statement issued by Information Department yesterday said Kuching National Park Wetland was declared the first Ramsar site (Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention) in the state on Nov 8, 2005. It is the fifth Ramsar site in the country.

This year’s World Wetland Day themed ‘Tanah Lembap Menjaga Kelestarian Air’ aims to raise awareness on the importance of wetlands to provide sufficient water sources for all living things, including human beings.

This year, a few programmes will be held such as a colouring contest for primary schools, an essay writing competition for primary and secondary schools and a photography competition for the media in conjunction with the occasion.

The organiser also held a ‘Wetland Tour’ for the media in the state on Feb 9 for them to learn and enjoy the uniqueness of Kuching National Park Wetland.

Feb 2 is declared as World Wetland Day by the United Nations. The date was fixed at the first World Wetland Convention on Feb 2, 1971 in Bandar Ramsar, Iran.

The objective of celebrating World Wetland Day is to raise public awareness on the importance of preserving wetlands.